Tuesday, January 26, 2010

I didn't come to New York wanting to be Carrie Bradshaw, although I know lots of girls do. Like Carrie, I wanted to be a writer, but I saw myself as more career-driven. I was interested in collecting bylines and beats, not labels or love. I was prepared for long workdays and late nights, working weekends to meet deadlines and sacrificing my personal life in the name of my career.

But when I landed my first job, which paid me $28,000 a year to answer phones for a top-tier editor at a business magazine, I realized my folly. At first, I hoped this time would be filled with freelancing and working on my blog, but within a few months I had fallen hopelessly in love with a reporter at the magazine, and my priorities changed just as quickly.

I eventually left magazine publishing to work for an Internet start up publication, a move I told myself was good for me and my career. At the time I thought that the magazine, and my first job, was not a waste because I had come out of it with a recognizable name on my resume and a future husband to boot. I lied to myself.

welcome to amanda in the city

it's been ten years since i moved to new york city. in that time, i've held six full-time jobs, lived in five different apartments in two boroughs with six different roommates (plus one dog), spent two years in business school and have been laid off once. in the midst of it all, i have picked up some lessons on work, love and life, and i would like nothing more than to share my experiences and insights with you here.

i graduated from columbia business school and work in business development. i am the former business development and social media manager for digital media network b5media. i was previously deputy editor of crushable.com and before that i covered media as the editor of fishbowlny. see more of my work here